Fluffy First Encounters
by LovelyPrecedent
Summary: A collection of heart warming AU one-shots featuring the details of how Cloud and Tifa met for the first time. Goal is to bring a smile to your face no matter how the day went.
1. Forced class seating

**Forced Seating Arrangements:**

Mrs. Ryan brought our her list.

"Alright boys and girls. I have arranged new seating plans for Term Three. They are going to be boy-girl pairs to each desk because it helps you to stop talking in class and concentrate."

The class of third graders let out a collective grumble. Tifa and Jessica looked at each other in dismay and horror appropriate to the occasion; two best friends forever sitting together being forced apart by a mean teacher, and having to sit next to a yucky _boy _for a whole term. This was punishment!

"Faraday and Christopher." Snickers ensued.

"Jonathan and Samantha."

"Jessica and Wedge."

Jessica groaned and mournfully shuffled out of her desk to face her new predicament. "_See you at lunch time_' she whispered sadly to Tifa.

"Tifa and Cloud."

Tifa's heart sank. She would be sitting with Cloud, the boy who flunked third grade so badly last year that he had to repeat. It's not that he was bad, it's just that he _was_ the class loser, and she dreaded the teasing from the class.

"Haha Tifa, sucks to be you!"

"Hey Tifa, I dare you to ask him out."

"Sitting next to the stupid."

"Bet this is the first time a girl would ever speak to _you_."

"_BOYS!_" Mrs. Ryan was astounded at the nerve of her pupils. She knew well enough that this Cloud was the proverbial outcast and would be bullied for as long as he remained awkward. That's why she planned to have him he sit next to Tifa - the smartest and brightest in the class. Maybe it would encourage Cloud to start trying a bit harder.

Tifa walked towards his desk in the back corner. He was always sitting by himself and she felt not only like an awful intruder, but that she had been exiled from the best section of the class - the front seat. He hastily removed the books and rubbish from the spare area over so she could sit down.

"Haha Tifa and Cloud, sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-"

"Stop it!" Tifa snapped. This was so unfair. Her mother died at the start of the year, she was sad at home, and getting close to Jessica had been her greatest source of comfort. She would complain to her father if she hated this seating arrangement.

She crossed her arms and refused to look at Cloud. She felt like she was going to cry.

"Okay, these are your new seats. Now I'm passing out the reading and comprehension work sheets. Finish this by lunch time and ask your partner for help if you need."

The first hour went dreadfully slow when she didn't have Jessica next to her to giggle and whisper with. The exercise required cutting and pasting words into the appropriate spaces for paragraph completion. She brought out her glue stick and found that it was dry.

Bother, she would have to actually speak to him. She cleared her throat. "Hey."

He stopped his work and gazed furtively at her, like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Can I borrow your glue-stick?"

He stammered something incoherent and fumbled furiously through his pencil case then thrust it at her.

"Wow that was quick...thanks."

"That's okay" he mumbled and quickly averted his eyes to the blackboard.

Fifteen minutes later she noticed something.

"Are you copying me?"

"N-no."

"Yes you are, you keep looking to my side. If you copy I will tell on you."

"I saw something in your hair."

"Liar." she pouted.

Without asking he reached over to her pigtail and pinched something slightly. She gasped and jumped back at the small black spider in his hand.

"I'm not scared." he said. He used his other hand to flick the spider to the front. It hit Jonathan's back and slunk to the ground.

She went red and giggled like she had a secret. His lips turned up ever so slightly.

"You are nice. So now you are allowed to play with me at lunch sometimes."

He smiled proudly for a second then went back to his work with a determination that was unusual for him. Maybe he could prove to her that he wasn't that stupid either.

Tifa didn't push him for conversation for the remainder of the day, but the heavy-hearted tension had lifted. Maybe sitting next to him wouldn't be so bad.


	2. Say thank you!

**Say Thank you!**

"Miss Tifa, could you kindly get a latte for Mr. Strife. He prefers one sugar and less frothing."

"Of course Alison", her personal assistant promptly replied. Tifa had only joined the company a fortnight ago, and was still learning the ropes of being an office secretary. The multitude of spontaneous demands in the role had been daunting, but of course she wanted to do her best.

"When does he require it?"

"Right now of course, Mr. Strife needs to be at an executive meeting very soon." Alison's tone was brusque and impatient, as if Tifa should have known better.

Tifa walked into the elaborate kitchen, which could be seen by everyone in the office floor since it had transparent glass instead of walls. She squinted a little begrudgingly at the cubicles. Which one was the department manager? Was she just expected to know without asking? She got to making the latte_._ Years of bartending and barista experience made her coffees a favorite among the company big shots who requested them.

She skillfully transformed the froth-topping into an intricate flower and leaf pattern, and it only took seven seconds. She beamed to herself. She wanted to impress her colleagues.

She picked up the coffee tray, complete with extra sugar and an saucer. Once out of the kitchen she saw Alison nod towards the direction of Mr. Strife. She walked confidently to his cubicle. A handsome blond man who looked to be in his mid-twenties was sitting there, concentrating heavily on his monitor. Twenty two year old Tifa was a bit shocked that someone just over her age could have been promoted so quickly. Perhaps it was the typical case of Upper Plate family connections helping him skip the line...

"Good morning Mr. Strife. Here is the latte you requested, one sugar." Though flustered she could still speak eloquently.

The man didn't bother turning his head, but made a non committal grunting noise. Assuming that he was still waiting she put the tray down to his left and waited.

Silence.

"Is there anything else you need?" she asked sweetly.

He glanced nonchalantly at the coffee tray.

"Mn-mn" he said, still not looking at her.

Inside Tifa lost her nerve. He couldn't even verbalize a proper no?! She was used to this lax behavior from her typical bar customers from the slums, but she pardoned their lower social caliber due their disadvantaged upbringings. But having to put up with this arrogant man who should know better, why she may as well not have moved to the Upper Plate if she was going to get the same disrespect anyway.

Without a word she stepped forward and took only the latte mug. She turned away from him and calmly walked out.

"Hey where are you going?" came his real voice, _finally_.

She ignored him and kept walking to the transparent glass kitchen. From the sink she could see his blond head popping up from his cubicle. Still furious but simultaneously trying not to giggle, she poured the coffee slowly down the sink, making a good show out of it for him.

Then she violently grabbed a new mug from the espresso machine top, and the group handle to make another latte. She impatiently poured in the remaining hot frothed milk. She walked calmly back to his cubicle. He was sitting down again but curious eyes definitely acknowledged her this time.

"...The frothing was bad on that last one." Tifa explained matter of factly. She slowly put the mug down, meeting his intense gaze. For the first time she noticed how blue his eyes were.

"Thank you very much Miss-" he surveyed her chest for a name badge.

"- Tifa. I'm new to the office," she replied feeling friendly again. However she didn't fail to notice his eyes lingering on her chest a fraction longer than necessary.

"Welcome to the team."

"Thank you."

Tifa still stood there stupidly, was she supposed to leave already or was it impolite until the manager dismissed you?

Mr. Strife picked up the mug.

"Aw, no flower this time?"

"Oh, about that..." Tifa started blushing.

He broke out into an amused smile, eyes dancing with laughter. It was a rather unnerving, silent sort of laughing smile. She continued to stare dumbly, not knowing how to react.

"Hey, how about I shout _you_ a coffee sometime this week as a welcome gesture to the company."

"Uh - I mean that would be wonderful yes."

Tifa felt the heat rising in her cheeks, she felt so exposed and now silly for the little latte incident.

"Thursday lunch break?"

She inclined her head. "Thank you Mr. Strife."

"Just call me Cloud."

"Cloud?"

"I'm not married."

"But they call you Mr."

"What else are they supposed to call me?" he retorted, eyes laughing again.

Tifa left his cubicle in a nervous flush, unaware that this was the moment she first met her future husband.

* * *

**AN: **How's that last liner for fluff? Now I have a sudden idea for a new narrative, gah these are meant to be oneshots. Well maybe in the future (:.


	3. Bah Valentine's day

**AN:** Time for some well needed Cloti fluff. This one is a little different :)

* * *

Tifa woke up and groaned. Yesterday did not go well. It wasn't particularly a bad day, it was just another Valentine's day - the twenty first consecutive year of being single on Valentine's day to be truthful. Not that she cared that much, really. She was savvy enough to deduce that this day was just another hallmark holiday made to guilt trip people into spending their money to look good in front of others and convince the world that they had the happiest relationship on earth and that all single people suck.

Seriously, it was kind of pathetic that every single couple in the restaurant she was waitressing at yesterday thought they were unique and 'different' from everyone else, when really they were just sheep. Everyone falling for the same marketing ploy of buying stuffed pink Chocobo toys for their girlfriends, cheap heart shaped chocolates and doing that dumb thing where they stare into each other's eyes at the dinner table and fail to hear the waitress asking for their order.

Tifa wasn't bitter, not _really_. She wasn't interested in getting flowers or Chocobo shaped candy. I mean, it's not like she had a boyfriend to hold her and care for her, and want to buy her pretty things like a good provider and protector would anyway.

So after an infuriating night of getting couples to snap out of their reverie to talk to her, ordering their food to see them smooching, having to separate clasped hands to put the dinner dish down, and being on the receiving ends of pitying looks from men and angry looks from women, Tifa went home and drank half a bottle of wine by herself.

_Pathetic. _One hour later the alcohol kicked in and brought out the plethora of negative emotions that she had been suppressing that day. She cried herself to sleep.

In the morning she hated herself for being such a whiner.

_Yeah Tifa, way to reinforce the stereotype that all single people are miserable and sad._

She dragged herself out of her rented flat, and took a refreshing walk to the mall. At Pricemart a display ledge on the front aisle caught her eye.

SALE HURRY SALE! : PREMIUM CHOCOBO SHAPED CHOCOLATES – bulk package reduced from GIL.89.99 to GIL4.99.

Tifa's heart quickened. _Should she or shouldn't she?_

There were only four packets left. An elderly man who smelled of cat hair limped to the shelf, squinted at the sign, then grabbed two packets immediately. Tifa remained rooted to the spot. Would she look that sad too if she grabbed a package?

She skulked around the next aisle for minutes just keeping watch.

"Anything I can help you with?" asked the shop assistant.

"Uh, no I'm just looking" she replied flustered.

Just then a fashionably dressed girl looking just older than her walked to the shelf, picked the box up, looked at the sign then went straight to the counter with a satisfied smile.

_Screw it. If that hot single girl could just waltz in and claim Valentine chocolate, so can I._

Tifa finally made for the last packet. Just before her hands made contact some random blond guy cut in front of her and swiped the packet from her potential hands.

"Hey!" she shouted angrily.

The blond guy didn't hear her but made way for the counter where the fashionable lady was still making her transaction.

Letting the negative emotions get the better of her Tifa stormed towards the checkout. She tapped the guy squarely in the back. He turned around and examined her with big blue eyes.

"_Excuse_ me, I'm sorry to disturb you but actually, I had that pack of chocolates first."

Blue eyes widened "But I picked them up first, it's not like I grabbed it from your hands."

"Mm- that's not the point," Tifa became a bit hysterical. "I was there looking at the chocolate for ages, then when I decided to pick it up you came and just took 'em!"

"_Ma'am" _the checkout lady interrupted. "Is there anything I can help you with?" she asked testily.

"Yes, do you have any more spare packages of the Chocobo chocolate?"

She shook her head coldly. "Whatever was left on the shelf is our last stock."

"Oh okay, then, this package of chocolate this gentleman is holding is actually my purchase."

Checkout lady's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"

"I got there first!"

Other customers started orbiting the scene to eavesdrop.

"Unless the gentleman pried this thing directly from your hands, then it is reasonable that being the first one to pick the chocolate from the shelf makes him the rightful purchaser of the product."

Checkout lady explained this in a condescending manner you'd use with a four year old. The blond guy put the chocolates down on the counter. Tifa turned to Plan B; persuasion.

"Hey, um sir, you don't really need those chocolates do you?" she asked sweetly.

The blond guy looked at her squarely. "Well I really want to buy them?"

"Why? It is an emergency. They are wrapped in pink."

"So?"

"So maybe you could buy more masculine looking chocolate for you and let me have the last one please?"

"Who said I was buying this for myself? Maybe I'm buying it for my girlfriend."

Tifa lost it and started crying. She hated herself for showing weakness but it felt so refreshing at the same time. Checkout lady looked alarmed and called into the loudspeaker for more assistance as the delayed customer line piled up.

"Y-y-you shouldn't even be buying Valentine's day stuff for your girlfriend after the day. You probably already had a great night out and j-j-just want to get more coz you're _greedy_!"

The blond guy was clearly disturbed at the sight of the frantic crying girl.

"Ma'am I can refund this."

"Too late! Purchase has been made, she needs to get a grip, move along now!"

"Can I exchange it then?"

"For-f-forget it, I'll go somewhere else!"

Tifa ran out of the store in embarrassment. The delayed customers looked on curiously, some in amusement and some in pity. The pity was worse.

Outside the store Tifa brought out a tissue and blew her nose. It may have been a better idea to stay and fester in her flat. To her irritation the blond guy followed her out.

"What do you want?" she asked hoarsely.

He scratched the back of his neck nervously, then slowly brought out the chocolate package he just purchased and held it towards her.

"Um – ah, here."

Tifa caved in with embarrassment, shock, delight, and shame all at once. She felt like laughing and bursting into tears again.

"… I feel so stupid right now. I am really sorry for being such an idiot. Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I was planning this from the start, but ah- obviously there was a misunderstanding."

"You were planning to buy them for _me_?"

The blond looked a bit guilty. "Er – yeah, I saw you standing there for ages looking at the chocolate and I could tell you wanted them but weren't going to buy them for yourself…So I thought I'd buy them for you." He looked down and mumbled at the last part.

Tifa broke into a huge smile though she still looked teary from the previous cry.

"No guy has _ever _bought me chocolates before. I am so happy right now." She moved in and hugged him tentatively. He looked relieved and returned the hug. She pulled back and smiled at him again.

"I don't know who you are but you seriously made my day."

"Oh, that, I'm Cloud."

"My name is Tifa. It was nice to meet you."

"Same to you."

There was an awkward but friendly filled pause.

"Well I'm heading that way," Tifa pointed.

"Me too."

"Ah yeah, I'm getting lunch."

"Same here."

The blond broke into a shy grin and Tifa couldn't help returning it.

"Then maybe I could shout you something, for accusing you just now?"

"Oh don't worry about that."

"You sure?"

"Just have lunch with me." he said really quickly.

Tifa looked down and giggled.

"I could share some of that chocolate with you for dessert perhaps?"

"That would be great. They do look amazing."

They continued walking together, though both still a bit to bashful to look at each other and Tifa consumed by her inner reverie.

_There is something really, really lovely about receiving chocolate from a guy_. _Not that I'm falling for the Valentine 's Day propaganda but it is really nice. _


	4. But isn't online dating only for losers?

**But I thought online dating was for losers!**

Cloud sighed at his bleeping laptop. He opened the flashing notification.

_You have one new message. Someone __**really**__ likes you._

He rolled his eyes and scoffed at the automated email. For all it was worth, he knew he was an attractive, put together kind of guy even if he wasn't the most confident and exciting. Even so, that didn't make it easier to meet suitable partners of the opposite gender, contrarily to the stereotype that it was so easy for people in their twenties to go out and 'get some'. The girls he met at parties or his workplace were all either already in relationships, or not that interesting to him.

The ones he was interested in, usually didn't like him back as expected.

"What are you doing Cloud!" Cloud jumped from the intrusion of his roommate peeking over his shoulder.

"Oh, just trying this dating site, seeing if there's any good ones out there."

"Ooh exciting! Which site are you on now."

"It's called Love Gonegaga." Just pronouncing the name out loud made Cloud cringe.

His roommate's eyes widened. "Dude. _Dude_. You know that site is for married people looking for affairs right?"

"What uh – no?!" Cloud's mouth fell open.

"Try Chocobeaux Farm, it's good for younger people and you get to choose who contacts you."

"What no, I hear it's a meat market."

"Well it worked for _me_ and I found a girlfriend more beautiful than anyone from _real life_," he hand quoted the last two words.

"Okay, I'll do some research first and give it a go."

"Too cool Cloud. I'm off to a party now but can't wait to see your results when I get back". A pat on the back, a wink and he left the room.

Cloud breathed in relief at the resuming silence and privacy. He opened a bookmarked link.

**The top VII dating sites in Gaia:**

**Honey Be In: **Rated number one for handsome sugar daddies. Are you a regal and time cultured knight looking for your young distressed princess? Then look no further. Knights must possess minimum net worth of seven-figures GIL and princesses must have the _princesses' measurements_. Look further for details.

Cloud gagged.

**'****SUP:** Single Upper Platers. A place where you don't have to worry about hood rats. Studies show the happiest couples come from the same sociocultural and economic background. Meet the match you deserve here.

"Entitled morons."

**Love Gonegaga:** Were you given the wrong pack of cards in life? Or the wrong life partner? Don't let your fate be determined by lousy star cycles, find your true soul mate here. Guaranteed 90% success rate if you subscribe to premium membership."

**Keep Kalm:** Hey you there! Yer, you who are 50+, come meet us in the Golden Gaia club.

**MENSA:** Acronym for Midgarian Elite Networking for Singles Association. Exclusive to participants who have a proven Intelligence Quotient over 200 (inclusive of Mako enhancement or genetic mutation). Members in our hall of fame have included Heiddeger, Pr. Hojo, General Sephiroth.

"Yeah except the general went schizo one day and burnt down his entire military complex and oh I don't know about two hundred cadets. And he had the world's highest IQ."

**Love MateriaL** – For fun, for freedom, for people who enjoy youth, sipping on waterfalls and tripping on seas of green.

**Chocobeaux Farm** – Despite its negative reputation this site has garnered the most popularity for its unique matching system. People get to look through a range of pictures of prospective dates, and choose to engage further by 'casting' up. If you don't like their face, you 'cast down' and no one ever has to know about it!

"Well it's the meat market then."

Cloud downloaded the dating portal, and set up his picture profile almost instantly. He used one is his military cadet training photos and had to admit once complete that he looked _pretty_ good on paper.

"Time to start casting."

A picture of a short black haired girl holding an armful of Materia occupied his vision. What would happen if he cast up?

_Congrats! You and Yuffie are on the same beam. Click here to chat to her._

Before he could click a message popped out.

"HEY BABE YOU LOOK HOT, WANNA MEET UP AND HAVE SOME SEXY TIME?"

Cloud's jaw dropped.

"Hey Yuffie. Isn't that a bit too soon?"

"SORRY. I DID THIS AS A DARE FROM A FRIEND TO GET MATERIA. I'm actually only 15..."

Cloud blocked her, feeling deflated. Hopefully that was a freak case and not everyone would troll.

He continued shuffling through hundreds of pictures for two hours. However he found that very few girls were casting back to him, perhaps only one in fifty. Out of all the girls he messaged only two replied back, and the conversations died after five exchanges. Some girls would block him immediately after matching with him.

He definitely expected more responses than that, both in quantity and quality. He felt despair creeping up on him. What if he was overestimating his attractiveness?

_Congrats! You have matched with Elena. _

"Hey Elena."

"Hey there! I see you are in SOLDIER uniform. You work there?"

"Yes. What do you do?"

"I'm a Turk." Cloud's heart skipped a bit. This blonde looked quite cute and also worked in the most prestigious corporation, she would definitely be catch…

"What rank are you?"

_No._

"At the moment still finishing my cadetship. I'm training for First Class though."

The conversation disappeared. It just disappeared, with Elena's profile picture too.

His roommate barged in again.

"How's it going Cloud!" he slurred.

"Frankly shit. I don't want to even pay to write a profile description. What was on yours that you did pay for?"

"Oh mine…I'll show you a screenshot from my phone."

_Zack aka 'The Puppy'_

_6'4_

_Mako infused eyes_

_First class SOLDIER_

_A lady's man but looking for that girl who will make me want to be a gentleman._

Cloud rubbed his temple. "That's it?"

"Hey Cloud just hang in there, and make sure you actually ask the girl out. You'll be –hic- fine I promise!"

The bleeper interrupted Cloud.

"Hey there handsome boy."

It was from a blonde lady named Scarlett, who in her picture was wearing a long red dress and holding a martini glass.

"Hello Scarlett."

"You look cute."

"Thanks."

"You look very malleable and compliant. Just wondering if you are into BDSM? I am an expert dominatrix and would love to possess a new pet."

"Not interested." Cloud blocked her, and started scrolling frantically. There must be someone decent on this thing.

He stopped at a girl striking a martial arts pose. She had a pretty face with a perfect smile, long dark hair, and a fantastic pair of boobs. Exactly his physical dream 'type'.

"IF she casts up, then she must be a fake, a scammer, or cheating."

_Congrats! You have matched with Tifa. _

"I am definitely aiming out of my league, but it doesn't hurt to try." He took a log swig from his water bottle.

"Hi Tifa. What pose are you striking?"

He waited half a minute.

"Hey Cloud. Thanks for asking. It's just a simple horse stance with my arm guard up."

She actually answered! He'd have to play his cards very carefully and not screw up.

"Well it looks awesome."

"Thanks :) "

"I bet you have a ton of guys thinking they deserve you right?"

Cloud smirked to himself. On the net, behind the screen he could be a bit more liberal and bolder with his flirting. He was sort of anonymous anyway.

"Oh you wouldn't believe. I've had to filter so many messages."

"Hundreds of thirsty admirers :P ?"

"Six hundred today."

Cloud spat out a mouthful of water. So that's what it is like to be an attractive woman on a dating site.

"Am I better than them all?"

"…I don't know yet. Are you?"

"I would like to be."

"Hmm. :) "

Remembering what Zack said, Cloud hastily typed out before he could chicken out and run underneath his bed covers.

"Tifa, I would like to take you out on a date sometime soon, perhaps this Saturday, would you be interested?"

Cloud covered his face and breathed hard. The next fifteen seconds were very long.

"Sure thing Cloud. I am interested. :) "

"HEY ZACK!" Cloud ran to the kitchen to relay his dating victory only to find his roommate passed out on the kitchen table.

"It worked. Or at least I got the ball rolling," he whispered to the snoring Zack and himself.

* * *

**Hehe this was real fun to write.**


	5. A little later

Sometimes, completely normal, loveable and sane… well _decent _ people go through life and happen _not _to meet another normal, decent human being that makes them go gaga and want to spend the rest of their lives with them.

Such was the case of Tifa, who at this time was approaching her mid-forties. She had gone through all the mandatory angst of being single in her twenties. At thirty she decided enough waiting and adopted a darling orphan baby. Her name was Marlene, and her biological father would serve life in prison for burning alive her biological mother. The next thirteen years filled the hole in her heart as she had someone to pour her nurturing energy into and found no time to stop and wallow in the midst of raising a voracious and inquisitive girl.

She also had three good decades to ward off the stigma and unhelpful insinuations.

"It's not like I want to force you to do something only because society wants you to, but it's something great you shouldn't have missed out on" her long-time friend Yuffie spoke in between mouthfuls.

"Yuffie, stop speaking to me like I'm about to die. I am okay."

"Okay is not enough. How are you going to fare when Marlene grows up and moves out? I want to you to get married and have a kid so you can have a mummy hair cut like me."

"Easy. Too late for me to have biological kids."

"Vincent had my kids when he was biologically eighty."

"Come to think about it, why did you marry Vincent?"

"Because he gave me THE BUTTERFLIES, and I needed a mummy haircut."

Tifa raised her eyebrows.

"The mummy hair cut isn't just about having kids. It's also about moving on the next stage in life and being responsible."

"Oh? I'm not responsible? Plus you had the same haircut even when you were a sixteen year old brat."

"It's the approach that counts. Plus I'm not a brat anymore, I am now out-bratted by my own brats. Geez Tifa, don't be so touchy. I just want you to meet the man who wants to wipe your bum in a nursing home."

"Still a brat." Tifa got up and walked away.

Yuffie gasped. "This isn't the sweet Tifa I remembered at twenty!"

Tifa rolled her eyes and laughed. The great thing about being in your forties that all the pretenses and try-hard behaviour of the twenties and thirties had run its course. Gone were the days when 'guys' tried so hard to be suave and unaffected by women. Gone were her days of trying to appear mysterious and flawless and more confident than she really was. The things that younger people killed to have, things like self-esteem, confidence and the ability not to give a hoot what other people thought of you came naturally with middle age.

The next day was Marlene's first day of high school and she'd be lying if she said she didn't give a hoot.

"Goodbye sweetie" she hugged Marlene at the car. "Oomph, you're hugging me so hard. Bye Mum."

It didn't go unnoticed that her daughter broke the hug a few seconds earlier than she normally did, and with more force before walking swiftly to the school building. So it had begun, that age where children became embarrassed by their parents.

The man in the next car seemed to have the same issue in a much more vocalized manner.

"Dad! This isn't kinder, this isn't even year seven, I am in year NINE for pete's sake."

Tifa looked over. The man in question had unruly bright blond hair that was unusual for his age, and it clashed strangely with the stubble on his chin. He wasn't bad looking though, as far as men in her age range could be.

"So? Why can't your daddy accompany you into the school grounds?"

"Because it's embarrassing okay. I am a grown up now."

"You haven't even broken your voice yet." The dad said it with straight face and flat voice, but Tifa detected the underlying hilarity beneath it. How she understood cheeky urge to goad one's own children.

"Your hair is embarrassing! _No one_ wears Chocobo style anymore since the Millennials and if you haven't realized that was thirty years ago! Stop trying to be cool!"

The boy stormed off. The father cupped his hands to his mouth like a megaphone.

"Young man Denzel, don't make me follow you and start telling dad jokes okay."

A group of teenage girls walked past and giggled. Denzel blushed in mortification and ran to the school gates.

Tifa was chuckling inside when the man turned to notice her.

"Hey." He said unassumingly, which was how you do it when you're a parent.

"Hi." She replied with equal laid-backness. "First day for your kid in a new school too?"

"Hardly, this is his third year here, but I do the same thing to him every year for kicks." He shrugged and laughed playfully.

"This is Marlene's first day in year in high school, and it's probably more daunting for her than she admits." And for me too, she added silenty. She felt so silly at the moment for having tears well up.

"Hey, everyone goes through it. It's okay. I'm Cloud."

"Thanks Cloud. I'm Tifa…did his mother go through that as well when he started here?"

"His mother? I guess she was indifferent, as indifferent as she was when she walked out on us seven years ago with two of my other children who I found out weren't actually mine."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

Cloud shrugged. "Hey, life happens right?"

"It definitely does."

"How does Marlene's father feel then?"

It was her turn to shrug. "Probably doesn't even know what's going on or if his daughter is alive. He's serving life now for premeditated murder of an atrocious kind."

Cloud put his hands up in mock shock. "Woah, and I thought I had the most jaw-dropping story."

"Don't get your hopes up silly, it was her biological father. Marlene is my adopted daughter who I raised from birth."

"You raised her all by yourself…that's…awesome." Cloud stared at her and her chest a second too long, and she couldn't help being a little pleased inside. Her fears of being unattractive with age were dispelled daily by young men calling her a 'MILF', the sort of attention she didn't care for at all. But when guys also her age and older check her out, she was assured that women would always be attractive when there are red blooded men on the earth.

He cleared his throat. "Ugh anyway, sorry about that too."

"Hey, life happens right?" she grinned sheepishly and he returned it.

"Yeah, I'm already half way through, and so much happened already."

"Same."

"High five." Tifa high fived with all the power built through her martial arts. The teenagers walking to school stared at them in half awe and half embarrassment at their antics.

She started giggling at how childish they were acting.

"Well, hope to see your around, perhaps uhh, bake off or after school sports?"

Tifa smiled her forever dazzling smile which made Cloud blush and look down.

"Hey, apparently I have 'no life' now since my daughter's growing up and going to school, so I'll be spending lots of my free hours helping out with school activities."

"Cool – well uh, well hope to see you again. Definitely."

They both got into their cars, as Tifa was trying to figure out that strange feeling in her chest. It was definitely not THE BUTTERFLIES god forbid, or a youthful bout of infatuation. No, for some reason she felt like she was six again despite being well acquainted with the daily drudgery that comprises a forty-something's life. She had the feeling six year olds get when they sit on a swing and literally reaching for the sky with their toes. It was that elated, giddy sort of feeling like people really do live forever and everything was new and exciting again.


	6. Graduate Expo

_Hi readers I can't wait for this year to end, needed a pick me up :) _

Tifa, 27 and having completed her Master's qualification in Information Technology after doing an Honours Undergrad in it, was finally at that point in her life where it was time to face the daunting prospect of job hunting for a 'real' job in the 'real world' with no certainty of employment at the end of the funny hat ceremony.

She entered the graduate job expo hall. Stalls everywhere proudly displayed their banners, logos and polished looking representatives. Unlike ordinary expos the reps were the ones being hounded by over eager students, no doubt desperate to obtain a morsel of precious information on how to beat the thousand other competitiors for the few spaces available. They didn't call grad jobs the Hunger Games for nothing.

Now getting a good job would be a ball, not. Many peers her age had entered the rat race long ago after their first degrees. However she wanted to specialize in her craft and decided to continue on. Deflecting the chronic remarks about how bad the economy was right now, how terrible the newly elected Leader would be come new year, and whether advancing studies was even worth it had become Tifa's hobby.

Now the concerned comments about her depleting ovaries were a bit new. Yes most of her friends were going strong in relationships, about to marry or already married with a bun in the oven, but she wasn't worried. Life had simply happened to culminate in this point in time and most guys in her faculty were just too cerebral for her tastes, oh well to nervous to even ask her out more like. She wasn't panicking.

She paused at the Midgar Environmental Council stand where a tall and snooty looking woman answered a barrage of questions offhandedly. She didn't push in the clamouring group but eavesdropped.

"How many positions are available in your grad program Miss?"

"Typically twenty to thirty but it always depends on the budget."

"Yo how many of people generally apply for it then?!" a cupped voice bellowed over the crowd. Tifa rolled her eyes as she recognized Reno, the biggest frat boy player in her faculty whom she turned down numerous times.

The rep looked no less pleased. "Our average number of applicants every year tends to be from four to five thousand."

Tifa's heart deflated a bit.

"You gotta be kidding Lady! We doing the right thing getting off our ass and wanting to work. Screw that I'm visiting the Turks' stand, c'mon Rude."

Knowing her answer, Tifa collected a few brochures and continued her little hunt while making small talk with the reps if she had a chance. Most stands didn't interest her honestly, there were lots of teaching faculties that she collected pamphlets from anyway.

As she was walking to the corner a whistle caught her attention. It was a suave looking man dressed in all black wearing black sunglasses. Clearly from the Turks stall. The students approaching these reps spoke much more quietly than to the others.

Tifa shrugged and approached. The man held out his hand. "Hello have you ever considered a career with the Turks whether in front line or clandestine operations?"

"Err, I have certainly read up a lot about you but would need to know more about the requirements." Wow her networking skills were rusty.

"Oh, right. Well feel free to take a peak around and ask any questions you want."

"How long is the recruiting process and what's involved?"

"No problem. Two years is usually the minimum time required to obtain the sufficient security passes, and complete the rounds of cognitive testing, medical examinations, polygraph tests and interviews. After that you complete initial training but even after that the pass rate is twenty percent. You may have a look at our requirements first, generally we prioritize applicants who have interned at Shinra for at least six months."

"Thankyou I will think over it." Tifa walked off. Damn, every single post was like that. They seemed to want four years experience of industry work in addition to having a degree, a number of internships in presitigous firms, leadership experience in multiple clubs, volunteer experience and for no particular reason physical fitness via involvement in competitive sports. And that was just to qualify for applying!

"If I had known this stuff would be relevant I'd have tried a looot harder to become High school captain" she muttered under her breathe. Every student was trying to get attention from the recruiters and she didn't know if she could bother competing for it at this stage.

"Join the army you get free dental!" She hadn't noticed the army display, but that was part of their camouflage skills probably. Three young soldiers stood at attention in front of the stand, fully clad in uniform and awkward looking amongst the civilian crowd.

Most students walked right passed the stall after glancing nervously at them. Otherwise they had no interested applicants and that made Tifa feel a little bad for them. These guys had likely been shouting all day.

"Join the army, you get amazing health benefits and to serve your country!" shouted the middle one.

"Join the army you get free living assistance!"

"Join the army, you get to BLOW SHIT UP."

A crowd of people stopped and stared at the right soldier, including his two comrades.

"What? I got sick of saying the same crap over and over again and thought no one was listening." He took off his half-covering helmet and a mess of unruly blond spikes emerged.

The soldiers chuckled and Tifa walked up to them herself being humored for the first time in the day. They stood at attention again though the blond one remained a little cheery.

"Hey there, we always welcome gorgeous ladies into the Army, gender diversity rocks!" The middle one shouted.

"Zack, keep your post you aren't supposed to flirt or say any taboo gender stuff" the left one gritted his teeth still staring ahead.

"What Cloud started it besides it's working."

"Hi I'm Tifa."

"Oh to hell with it." The left one took of his helmet and so did the middle one.

"Whew couldn't breathe in that darn thing, I'm Zack, left is Kunsel right is Cloud."

"Nice to meet you. So are you recruiting for just soldiers or...?"

"Nope we are always recruiting for everyone. Military, navy, airforce and support roles for all of them."

"I major in IT."

"That's great." Kunsel said, "we have IT roles across all divisions and regularly hire."

"And the recruting process though?"

"Oh it's quite easy allow me to elaborate" Zack answered. "Just do six weeks of general basic training hell in the outback and you're neat to go. You look fit so you should be swell, plus it's not all torture you get to blow shit up eh Cloud?" He nudged the blond to the right.

The guy had been staring dumbstruck at Tifa since she started talking. Other girls were starting to crowd around the trio, trust them to only show interest when she did.

"Um, well I do do martial arts so I'm kinda familiar with combat" she downplayed her abilities. She glanced back at the transfixed blond. He probably had the bluest eye she had ever seen.

He made a croaking noise before collecting himself.

"Oh hang on we've got a First Class soldier in the making." Zack teased.

"Nah just IT support role please."

"Here I'll give you the sign up page and you can email all three of us anytime for more questions." Zack gave it to her hurriedly because more girls were starting to swarm around him.

"Thanks." She nodded at them before turning away but stopped to look at the blond one more time.

"Do it." He used a soft spoken voice. "It's worth it I promise" he smiled shyly at her.

She smiled and waved at him before disappearing back into the crowd of job hunting students.

He hadn't really expected his improvised yelling to work and get her attention.


	7. World of Final Fantasy

Please assume that both Clouds and Tifas don't know each other in this chapter. I don't have or haven't played this game yet, but the characters look so cute aaah. Double fluff ahead.

* * *

The version of Nibelheim existing in this alternate word didn't disappoint. It captured the ominous black mountain peaks and the sky seemed permanently stuck in a fiery twilight. It added to rustic reputation of the backwater country town, Tifa reasoned. As a human here, she was considered so tall that they called her a _Jiant_. Well, at least she got to have a feel for being the tallest in the room.

She was in this world on a mission to find her own _Lilikin_, who was surprisingly hard to catch. She spotted her once in the woods running around with a couple other miniature girls. She was dressed in her teenage cowgirl themed costume, how inappropriate for someone so little! Tifa would give her mini-self a little lecture when she found her and tell her to pull down that tank-top. Accommodations could be made for the cowboy hat, of course…

Something below tugged at the hem of her black apron. She looked down to see the most adorable, rosy cheeked blond Lilikin boy – or man she couldn't be sure - staring up at her in awe. It was hard to mistake the facial expression when he had giant powder blue eyes in the shape of pears. His relatively huge head supported a wad of thick yellow spikes.

"You are one of _them_," he stated in an adult human male voice.

Thank goodness he spoke first or Tifa may have just treated him like a four-year-old. "Why yes, I am. You have met your first Jiant."

"You are Tifa."

Tifa was taken aback. "How do you know? Why yes I am Tifa of course."

"I know your Lilikin."

"Oh you do? Can you tell me how to find her? She teeters so fast."

The miniature man's singular mouth turned up in a little triangle.

"Finding her isn't the problem, catching her is. She packs quite a punch."

"She learned from the master after all." Tifa felt a surge of pride towards her mini-self.

"Jiants assume they are the most powerful in this universe but actually we little people have more brute strength. We have to adapt to our circumstances."

"Are you teasing me?"

"Maybe. It's funny to see Tifa blush like apples when it works on her. But it doesn't work on you."

Tifa stuffed her hands into her apron pockets. She had an almost violent urge to pick up the little man and haul him over her shoulder, then bring him home and feed him milk and cookies. _Don't be creepy_, she reminded herself.

"So your name is?..."

"Cloud."

"And isn't your own Jiant looking for you too?"

The powder blue eyes turned into crosses and his lip downturned into a frown. "I met him already, he sucks. I am trying to avoid him actually."

"Aw, do you not like him?"

"He made fun of me and said stuff like I am short and cute!"

Tifa tried not to burst out laughing, but she sympathized.

"He then took away my sword and said it's not a real one, he put it in a high tree where I cannot reach it."

"And why did he do that?"

"Because I refused to go with him."

Tifa crouched down to his level. "Maybe he is jealous of you."

"Jealous? Of me? Why would he be?"

"Because you have so much self-confidence and are a likeable person."

Red circles started growing on his enlarged cheeks. "You…like me?"

"Hey I wouldn't be talking to you if I didn't like you. How about you go back to your Jiant, do whatever needs to be done as quickly as possible, and then you won't have to see him anymore."

"I do not want to see him alone. Maybe you can come with me?"

"Oh sure! Maybe I will bump into my miniature self too on the way."

The blond mini man's cheeks swelled up as he smiled. Again Tifa tried not to do something disrespectful like pulling his cheeks.

"Let's go then!" she started walking.

"Wait!" the small man teetered after her. "Can I get a piggyback?"

"Umm. Sure?"

"I want to see how high the world looks from up there."

Inside Tifa squealed for she could now pick up one of those creatures. She lifted the little man by the waist, and hoisted him around her back. He wrapped his tiny arms around her neck and leaned his chin into her shoulder. How cute. At this point he could have asked her to grunt and gallop like a dinosaur for his entertainment, she would have done it.

* * *

Meanwhile on the other side of the mountain, Cloud grumbled as he limped up the unsteady hill. His mini-self was such a brat. They had met each other a few times now but fought every time. His mini-self took digs at his mannerisms and tried to challenge his masculinity. He had the short-man complex quite literally. Just now when his mini-self insulted him for having no girlfriend, he retorted back that no one in _any_ universe liked a small cute thing like him. Then his mini-self stabbed him in the foot with his 'Buster Sword'. He retaliated by taking the sword and placing in on a high branch and calling it a butterknife. It was then that his mini-self sprinted up the mountain and disappeared from sight.

He sighed at the depressing surroundings. Who would want to live here, whether normal or mini sized?

"Hey you." A melodious female voice called over from behind him.

He turned around. Trotting up to him was a miniature girl – dressed in a little cowgirl suit and sporting a relatively giant cowboy hat. She was puffing heavily.

"I saw you, limping, up the mountain. It's dangerous to be here with a bad foot. There are bad mirages and dragons all over these parts. So, I'm gonna to be your protector."

Cloud's eyes widened at the gusto of this tiny little woman. Not to mention how adorable her offer was. She was smiling up at him with these huge pear-shaped brown eyes.

"You are _precious_." Oops he said that out loud.

Contrary to getting insulted, she put her hand to her mouth and gave this high-pitched squeal or giggle thing.

That was it. He decided to stuff her in his backpack and bring her home. He would apologize profusely of course, but for the two weeks he kept her he would play dollhouse and let her wear all the pretty clothes she wanted and buy her a baby pony and hug her a hundred times.

Before he could pick her up the mountain shook and a scarlet dragon emerged from one of the crevices. It was not a miniature monster. Cloud was caught off guard at having to attack a life-sized monster without his sword and really bad foot.

"Relax Cloud, I got this!"

The little woman balled her hand into fist and a blue glow emanated from it.

"Final Heaven!" She shot forward like a cannonball and the dragon was thrown fifty feet into the air. It dropped with a heavy thud that shook the place again, though it was presumably dead.

Cloud silently opened and closed his mouth. He withdrew his plans to kidnap her.

"Easy as pie!" she squealed and started walking next to him with tiny but fast steps.

They walked in silence for a while.

"So, you know my name. Do you know my mini-self?"

"Your lilikin? I know him alright. We are good friends."

Cloud stopped. "He has friends?"

"Oh, of course he does!" Her voice was honeyed. "He is friends with a lot of girls."

"So people like him," Cloud exclaimed in surprise.

"Aha."

"Like like him?"

"I don't know…"

"Do you like him?"

The mini-woman stopped and looked to the side. Red circles like apples started growing on her cheeks. "Oh look your foot is still bleeding!"

Cloud looked down. "Oh eek. Yuck. Don't worry about it please."

"I am supposed to protect you though!"

"Who said that?"

"I did."

"It is gonna be the other way round. I am going to protect you." He said it rather firmly.

The girl did the high-pitched squeal thing again. "You really will?"

"Hey. I am the bigger one." Cloud walked over and picked her up. It was now or never. "I am the _Jiant_. I can handle things around here."

The little woman giggled and nuzzled her head into his chest. It was going to be hard to put it down.

Over the next hour he limped up and over the mountain peak and started the easier descent down the other side. Suddenly he was greeted with the human version of the woman he was carrying, or he assumed her to be with the shiny dark hair and large brown eyes.

"Oh!" The human exclaimed. "Looks like I did bump into my lilikin after all!"

"Hmm what?" The miniature woman had stirred awake from her sleep. "Oh Cloud meet my Jiant. Her name is Tifa and obviously so is mine." She leapt out of Cloud's arms, much to his reluctance and ran over to her human self and held her hand.

"Hey Tifa" the human one said. "Hi Tifa" the mini replied.

A groan emitted from the behind the two Tifas. Cloud stared on in surprise as a wad of blond spikes peeped over the shoulder of life-sized Tifa.

"Oh not you again." He complained.

"Hey Cloud. It's gonna be okay. Your Jiant will be nice to you now, won't he?" she cocked her head to his human self and raised her eyebrows. Cloud nodded.

She grasped lilikin Cloud and placed him gently back onto the ground. The humans watched as the their two miniature selves proceeded to hug each other. Tifa shrugged bashfully at the sight and Cloud scratched the back of his neck.

After breaking the hug mini Cloud teetered slowly to his human self. "I will be wanting to see Tifa again." He stated. Cloud tilted his head to the side. "Which one?" he quipped.

"Both!"

"Alright alright, I won't deny you this at all, just come with me please and get your work done."

"Guess we will be seeing you again then Cloud, and Cloud." The human Tifa smiled shyly at the new Cloud she had just met. He noticed both Tifas wore the same expression. So maybe he could spend more time with this person without kidnapping them.

"See you." He grunted brusquely and turned back over the mountain where he just came from. The mini Cloud turned around too without saying a word.

The two Tifas shrugged.

Once over the peak little Cloud began his antics. "You like Tifa I can tell" he drawled.

"Who me? Why do you always make up things."

"Maybe you should ask her out. Get a girlfriend already."

"Why do you care?"

"I don't."

"Exactly so stop harping on about it."

"She is way out of your league."

"Speak for yourself."

"Shut up."

"You know it."

"Let's see her again."

"That we can agree on."


End file.
